A Christmas to Remember
by Total Romance Fan
Summary: What is the true meaning of Christmas? Zelda doesn't know anymore, good thing her friend Ike can help her with that. Story for SmashKing24's Christmas Contest! :)
1. Winter Break!

** Hey everyone! As in the title, this story will be for Smash King24's Christmas story contest! First contest I've ever entered, and I'm a little nervous having my work judged, but super excited about writing because Christmas is one of my favorite holidays! It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling and I love it, also it gets me out of school for a bit xD I'd like to thank Flame Falcon for showing me the contest in the first place, I've read some of Smash's work and they're awesome, feel free to check them out. Happy holidays!**

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><p>"What is the true meaning of Christmas?" Professor Hand asked, pausing to look at everyone. "I'd like everyone to think about this question. There are no right or wrong answers, but I would like you guys to write an essay, at least two pages, on what the true meaning of Christmas is to you. I'd like it as soon as you get back from break" I groaned along with the rest of my class just as the bell rung, ending class.<p>

I sighed, tugging on my hood a little as everyone practically ran out of school._Christmas, _I thought bitterly, it used to be my favorite holiday until the... _Accident_. I shook my head as I felt my throat tighten and tears welling up in my eyes. It's been a couple months now, but the pain still hurts, and to make matters worse, I'll be staying here alone for the holidays since Peach, my roommate and best friend, was flying away today to visit her family, and my brother Sheik is running the kingdom. I was brought out of my thoughts when I ran into a wall.

I clutched my head in one hand, and was about to glare at the wall I ran into when I realized that it _wasn't_ a wall, it was _him_. I gasped in surprised as I stared at him, he looked almost the same as I'd last seen him... Four years ago. His hair was a little longer and he had it in his usual style, with the tips hanging over his forehead. His features sharper and more defined, he was also taller now about a head or two taller than me. His boyish good looks were now grown and he looked older, more mature.

"Ike..?" I asked, my voice a barely a whisper.

"Zel?" he asked, his voice deeper and laced with surprise and disbelief as we both stared at each other. A beat of silence went by before he suddenly realized what had happened, he quickly stood up, effectively breaking the moment. I shook away my shock as he extended his hand out to help me. I looked from him to his hand before hesitantly taking his hand.

"Um, thanks" I said nervously taking my hand out from his, missing the warmth of his hand already. He nodded his head in reply, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Wordlessly, we both walked out of the campus, side by side. "So... You go to Smash University too?" I asked as we started towards the dorms.

"I remember that you planned to go here after High School" he replied when we stopped at my dorm room, pinning me with the same intense blue eyes that's always been in my mind ever since I left.

_Does that mean he's only here because of me...?_ I asked myself, feeling heat creep up my neck. I turned away, not knowing what to say and before he could say anything a pretty girl with long dark green hair, and a navy blue coat flung her arms around him. _Guess not_... I sighed, feeling a sharp pain of sadness. _Of course he wouldn't._

"Ike! I've been looking for you!" the girl said. I never heard what his reply was because by then, I was already unlocking my door and slamming it shut. I slid down the floor and buried my head in my knees.

"Zelda?" I looked up upon hearing my name to find Peach kneeling in front of me, "You Okay, Hon?" she asked concerned.

_No_, I thought, "Yeah, I'm fine" I whispered.

"Zelda, I've been your best friend for years" she said gently raising my chin so I would be staring into her baby blue eyes, "Do you really think you could lie to me that easily?" I shrugged, "Now, who's butt do I have to kick?" she joked, making us laugh.

I smiled at my friend, she was about three-inches shorter than me with honey color hair and baby blue eyes. She was a fairly petite girl, but she has a very big mouth, which is why she knows almost everything about people and if she wanted, I'm sure she could kick some butt.

"Now... Tell me why you're so upset" she prodded, poking my cheeks.

I sighed, Might as well, "Um, do you know a guy named Ike?"

"Ike?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing together in thought, "Hmm, I might. Is he like way tall, dark blue-ish hair, about a year or two older than us and super hot?" I laughed at her last statement, but didn't disagree as she blinked several times at me.

"Yeah, Ike Greil" Peach nodded her head, silently telling me to continue, "So, um, does he have a girlfriend or anything?" I asked, my voice growing quieter every word.

Peach noticed the change in my demeanor but didn't press the subject, "Um, no, not that I know of. Actually, I don't think he's had a girlfriend for a while now. Why do you ask?"

"You remember when I moved back to the palace four years ago?"

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with this?"

"Well, do you remember what I told you I left behind?"

"Left behind? Left behind, left behind" she muttered to herself. I watched as realization spread across her face. "That's_him_!?"I cringed as she shouted and nodded my head, "So what happened?" she asked after calming herself down.

"I was leaving Professor Hand's class when I accidentally ran into him, he helped me up and then walked me back to our dorm."

Peach laughed, "Who would have thought that Ike was such a gentlemen, so what did the idiot do to mess it up?"

"Nothing," I started to say when Peach shot me a dubious look, I sighed, "_He_ didn't do anything, some girl came and flung herself onto him."

"Did he try to stop her?" Peach asked, raising her eyebrow at me.

"No..." I answered slowly, not seeing her point.

"Well, then it is his fault, he obviously didn't want her to stop" I shrugged, keeping a poker face on so she wouldn't see how her words effected me. I either had a really bad poker face or she could read me easily because she wrapped me in an embrace, "Oh Hon, you still love him don't you?" she whispered in my ear, _Do I?_ I asked myself, but she didn't wait for my answer, she already knew what it was, "Do you want me to stay with you?"

And face Mario's wrath for keeping his girlfriend away from home for so long? Not to mention how her parents and her kingdom feel about it, no thank you. "No, I'll be fine, really" I'll be alright... Right?

She stays quiet, searching my face to make sure I'm not lying. "Okay..." she starts, still a little unsure, "But if you need anything, call, Okay?"

"Yes Mother, I'll make sure to call you twice a day and text you all my whereabouts if it'll make you feel better" I said dryly as she rolled her eyes at me, but she was smiling. We spent the rest of the time watching _The Search for Santa Paws _until it was time for Peach's flight. We said our goodbye's and with one last hug, Peach left our dorm leaving me alone for the rest of Winter Break... Or so I thought.

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><p><strong>Well there we are, the first chapter is finally finished! I planned on posting this a looooooooong time ago but never got the chance, more chapters will be coming and soon! Happy Holidays! :)<strong>


	2. Day One: Invite

**Hey everyone! Hoped you liked the first chapter! I've got a lot planned and so little time left so here comes the second chapter! :)**

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><p>I woke up the next day with an empty feeling in my gut, memories from last night flashing in my head. I sighed, feeling lonely, already missing Peach's bubbly personality, and reluctantly got ready for the day.<p>

As I stepped out of bed, I noticed that it had gotten colder and there was a lot more snow outside. I shuddered, feeling the chill from my slightly opened window, and frowned. _Another reason to dislike winter,_ I thought, gazing out at the white blanket that covered most surfaces outside.

I grabbed my laptop after making myself breakfast, and decided to get an early start on the assignment, not knowing what else to do. _What _is_ the true meaning of Christmas?_ I asked myself, reading and re-reading the question again and again.

I must have stared at the question for about an hour, and I still didn't have an answer. How am I supposed to know the _true_ meaning of Christmas? I groaned, rubbing my eyes, I looked at the clock, Great another forty minutes and nothing! I sighed, giving up on the assignment for now and grabbed my Kindle, walking over to my favorite window seat to read.

Before I could start reading, there was a knock on the door. I stood and started for the door, not knowing who it was, Peach was already gone, Sheik wasn't here anymore, Samus left with her boyfriend a few days ago, so who else could it be?

I opened my door and was shocked to see _him_ at the door. Of all people, I wouldn't have guessed it'd be him, not after what I did. But there he was, dressed in a dark colored coat with matching colored gloves, jeans, and his favorite shoes. His hair was a little messy from the wind, and his cheeks were slightly red too.

I stood there gaping at him, wondering why he was here but couldn't form a proper sentence. He looked good, he looked like himself which made him all the better.

"Hey Princess, see something you like?" he asked, his voice smooth and deep, the smirk evident on his face. Hearing him talk snapped me out of my daze, and I remembered the girl from yesterday.

I glared at him for a second before slamming the door in his face. I was walking away when his voice rang out again. "Open the door Princess", Princess, there he goes again, using his old nickname for me. It all started out as a joke, but turned into a word of endearment that I secretly loved, but would never tell him.

"Go away Ike!" I yelled, returning to my spot before he knocked on the door.

He chuckled at my statement, and my heart swelled at the sound. "Can't get rid of me _that_ easily"

"A girl can dream" I replied dryly, rolling my eyes.

"Dream harder, I'm not losing you again Princess" he said in a low voice that I barely heard, but I did, and I wish I didn't. I sunk to the ground slowly and wrapped my arms around myself, needing a physical barrier to hold myself together. I sat there for a couple minutes and assumed he'd left already when my phone buzzed next to me. It was from an unknown number, but I already knew who it was from. And I knew just who helped him get my new number.

Ike: C'mon Princess, it's freezing out here.

Me: Then go _home_.

Ike: Not a chance, we still have talk.

Me: I have nothing to say to you.

Ike: I have enough to say for the both of us.

Me: Go home, you'll freeze to death out there.

Ike: How nice of you to care. I'll stay out here as long as it takes.

Me: Stubborn as usual.

Ike: You know it.

Me: Go home, I'm not letting you in.

Ike: We'll see.

_Stubborn mule..._ I thought, getting up from my spot and walking over to the door. There he was, sitting at my doorstep, all bundled up and freezing from the cold. The tips of his ears have turned red and his cheeks were rosy, I turned, not being able to take seeing him like that. I walked into my kitchen and started making hot chocolate.

I opened the door and he almost fell over since he was using the door as support. "About time Princess" he said smirking at me. I rolled my eyes as I walked back into the kitchen, grabbing the hot chocolate and bringing it over to him.

"So..." I said, once we were both settled on opposite couches. He rose an eyebrow at me in question as he sipped his hot chocolate. I blew out my breath, "What'd you have to say?"

"First off, I want to explain who the girl was that you saw yesterday," he started but stopped when I held up my hand.

"It's Okay, you don't have to explain, I'm happy for you both" I said, not wanting to hear about him and his girlfriend. What I didn't expect was for him to laugh, like full out laugh. "What's so funny?" I asked, a little irritated.

"Sorry," he chuckled, "But _Lyn_ isn't my girlfriend, she's my _roommate's_ girlfriend" he continued when he saw my confused expression, I was a little shocked and embarrassed, but he didn't seem to mind. "It was their second year anniversary yesterday and Lyn had something planned, but in order to pull it off, I needed to help set some things up. I was supposed to meet up with her after school, but _something_ distracted me" he emphasized the word something, giving me a pointed look.

I blushed, embarrassed that I had jumped to conclusions so quickly. "Sorry" I muttered, not meeting his eye. He surprised me when he grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him.

"If you're really sorry, you can make it up to me tomorrow" I didn't know how to respond and I couldn't look away from his eyes so I just nodded. He smiled at me, the one I learned he reserved for special people or when he was really happy. "Great, be ready by noon" he got up, leaving me in a confused daze and got ready to leave. Before he left, he placed a quick kiss on my cheek and was out the door before I could respond.

I sat there, staring into blank space as I recalled what had just happened.

_What have I gotten myself into?_ I asked myself, touching the spot he'd kissed earlier.

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><p><strong>Whoo! Another chapter down! Several more to go! Hoped you enjoyed this chapter, I have a lot more to do in so little time so wish me luck! Thank you WR3000 and Purple Mercenary for reviewing! I really appreciate it! Until the next chapter :)<strong>


	3. Day Two: Park Date

** Hey guys! Hope you guys are enjoying the story so far, I have a lot more planned for these two :) Here come's chapter three!**

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><p><em>Beep, beep, be-<em> I lazily hit the snooze button on my alarm clock, rubbing my eyes tiredly. I barely slept at all last night, thanks to Ike. I was both dreading and awaiting for whatever he had planned, I stayed up most of the night, tossing and turning, thinking of all the places he could take me. Just as I was slowly making my way to the bathroom, my phone buzzed.

**Ike: Be there in fifteen.**

"Shit" I cursed, dropping my phone and sprinting into my bathroom. I winced at the sudden light, and at the subtle bags under my eyes, _Nothing a little concealer can't fix..._ I thought. After my shower, I felt a lot less like a zombie and more like a person, a person in need of caffeine but still. And then I remembered that I had another problem. What to wear. Since I had no idea where he was taking me, I had no idea what to wear, as I was mentally freaking out in front of my closet like a weirdo, my phone buzzed again.

**Ike: Tick tock Princess, better get a move on.**

I scowled at my phone for a couple seconds, secretly wondering how he knew all this. Finally I decided on something casual, but nice at the same time. Since it was cold I decided to layer my clothes, I choose a light colored tank top and threw cute Christmas themed sweater over it, dark leggings, knee-high socks, and my winter boots. I also had on my favorite earrings, and matching necklace, and a light jacket.I was putting on my coat when there was a knock on the door. I took a deep breath, calming the butterflies that magically appeared in my stomach and opened the door. I was surprised when I was greeted by a bouquet of white carnations, tulips and roses.

I blinked at them for a few moments before carefully taking them out of his hands, "Um, thanks for the flowers, they're beautiful" I said, not knowing what else to say, placing them in a near by vase.

"You look beautiful too" he replied, gently grabbing my hand and pulling me with him. I blushed at both his comment and contact as he led me to his car.

"So where are we going?" I asked, once we were both buckled in.

He tsked, shaking his head in mock disappointment, "Now Princess, where's the fun in telling you?" I huffed, sticking my tongue out at him to tell him I wasn't upset, but turned to hide how excited I was for this "Date", if you could even call it that.

For the rest of the ride, we drove in relative silence, not that I minded, I used the time to gather my thoughts. "We're here" he nudged me gently, now at my side of the car. I thanked him as he helped me out and glanced around at my surroundings. I gasped, taking in all the sparkling decorations that glimmered in the sunlight. It was the same park that we had our first date in, but now it was blanketed in white snow, lights, tinsel, shimmered on trees, snowman and women everywhere as well as vendors with hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts and all kinds of treats perfect for the cold weather.

I turned to see Ike watching me with a gentle smile on his face. "C'mon Princess, I have a lot planned for you today" he said mysteriously, I shot him a curious look but didn't argue as he took my hand. He led me to a secluded part of the park, a couple minutes from where the car was parked.

"Oh my..." I trailed off, my hand over my mouth in surprised. In front of me was a beautiful hidden garden, there were a couple frozen willow trees, one with a swing hanging from a branch. There also were a couple picnic tables, and a frozen fountain in the middle of it all. On the sides, different kinds of different plants surrounded us. Ike cleared his throat, bringing my attention to him. Right beside him was a blanket, and on top of that was what I think was a romantic dinner.

"Too much?" he asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck uncertainly.

"No... It's perfect" I laughed, trying to assure him, although I'm pretty sure laughing is not how you assure an uncertain person. "Sorry," I said, finally calming down, "It just doesn't seem like something you'd do"

Ike chuckles at this, "What can I say, you bring out the best in me" I remained silent, not knowing how to respond to his declaration. He seemed to understand and gently guided me to the blanket, helping me with my over-sized winter coat, "Don't worry, I'll help you stay warm" he said suggestively, "Relax Princess, I was kidding" he put both his hands up as if to say "I surrender"

Ike had brought pretty simple things, but as we ate, I realized that most of them were my favorite foods. After we finished eating we both packed up and walked back to his car, hand in hand. I glanced at our entwined hands every now and then, wondering what this meant, were we back together? Or just really really good friends? I mean friends hold hands right?

We decided to take a walk around the park, with me fawning over all the pretty decorations and Ike tagging along with me, teasing me about my childlike reactions. "Whatever" I said, sticking my tongue out at him when he told me I looked like a little kid who found something shiny. Suddenly I had an idea, while he was busy laughing, I silently picked up some snow behind me, and packed it into a ball.

Before he could see what I was doing, I threw it at his face. The look on his face was priceless, I stopped laughing once I saw his expression turn from shocked to menacing, "Ike..." I said slowly, backing away from him as he came closer, "Don't you da-" I shrieked as the snowball he made hit me in the face, I narrowed my eyes,_Oh it's on now_, I thought, forming another snowball.

He laughed, taunting me when I missed, and _I_ laughed when he missed. This went on for a while and somehow, while I was preparing another snowball he disappeared. "Ike...?" I asked cautiously, keeping my guard up as I looked around. Where could he be hiding... I asked myself, looking behind a tree, in a bush and just about everywhere else.

Just when I was starting to give up, something pulled me down from behind. I landed with an 'Umph' as muscular arms came around me. "Surprise" Ike whispered, and hit me with another snowball, squealing, I rolled off of him in time to throw one at him. I pouted when he rolled and it missed him. He sat up and smirked, as if to say he won but I wasn't quite done yet.

Feeling bold, I quickly tackled him to the ground, with him landing on his stomach and me sitting on his back. "You sure are heavy" he grunted.

"Wha-" I began, ready to hit him for his comment when he flipped me over and suddenly he was the one over me. My eyes widened at the sudden switch while he laughed.

"Relax Princess, just kidding" we stayed like that for what felt like a life time, just staring into the others eyes. "Well, I believe it's time to get going" he said finally getting up, carefully pulling me up with him. We walked back to the car, and I was surprised at how sad I was that the day was ending, as if reading my mind, Ike asked if I would join him tomorrow for another 'Adventure'

I smiled and agreed just as we arrived at our school. "See you tomorrow, same time" he said when we reached my dorm. I was suddenly nervous and I didn't really understand why, that is not until he leaned over and kissed my cheek again. And just like yesterday, before I could say or do anything else, he was gone.

_What have I gotten myself into?_ I sighed again, a smile on my face nevertheless as I got into bed, falling asleep with thoughts of a certain guy who's already swept me off my feet once and is doing it again.

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><p><strong>Whoo! Another chapter finished! I really hope I have enough time to get another chapter out today cx Wish me luck! Thank you Purple Mercenary for reviewing again! It means a lot, hope everyone is liking the story, I know I am :) Until next time!<strong>


	4. Day Three: Shopping, Part One

**Hey everyone! I'm back with another chapter! Thank you everyone who's reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

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><p>"Hey Mom! Hey Dad!" I greeted, stepping out from the warm airport and into the winter wonderland outside, giving them both a kiss on the cheek. Christmas, I sighed, smiling, My favorite time of the year! I thought, trying to catch one of the many snowflakes that were falling around me.<p>

_"Hey Sweetheart, your father and I missed you dearly" my mom, Olivia said, pulling me into a hu. I hugged her back, inhaling the familiar sweet scent that was my mom._

_"Welcome back Darling" my dad whispered into my ear when I gave him a hug, I mumbled that I missed him too when he kissed the top of my head. "Well it's time to go" my dad took both my Mother's arm and mine and escorted us to our awaiting car. Charles, our gentle chauffeur came out to greet us._

_"Welcome back Miss Zelda" he said, politely tipping his hat at me while opening the door for us._

_"It's always nice to see you Charles" I smiled at him, giving him a small curtsy._

_"So how is school?" my mother asked once we were seated._

_"Great! Everyone's really nice!" I blushed, thinking about a specific person. If my mother saw me blush she didn't say anything, only asking more about my classes and teachers thankfully. My dad sat next to her, holding her hand tenderly while he listened to us talk. My dad didn't say too much, only when he had something to say or comment._

_Just as we were laughing at Peach's latest "Mission" like I refer to, the car suddenly started swerving to the side_

_"Mom? Dad? What's happening?" I asked, freaking out._

_"Probably nothing to worry about Sweetie" my dad muttered, trying to calm me down. I nodded, not knowing what else to do. Just when things were finally calming down, the car swerved violently to the side, only this time, I was flung to the other side, my head hitting the car door._

_"Zelda!" I heard someone call, there voice sounding distant, and my head throbbing as the car continued to shake violently until finally, it ended up on its side. The last thing I remember was my mom laying across from me, blood trickling down her forehead._

_"Mom..." I whispered weakly, extending my arm towards her. I winced as a sharp pain shot through my arm, while my vision blurred and everything turned dark..._

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><p>I sat up abruptly, drenched in sweat, my heart beat racing. "Mom" I whimpered, pulling my blanket over me tightly as sobs racked my body. I hadn't had that nightmare for a while so why was it coming now?<p>

After finally calming down, I glanced at the time, seeing that it was only seven thirty, and I didn't want to try to sleep again in fear that the memory will haunt me again. I decided to take a nice, warm shower to help me calm down before I eventually had to get ready for my date.

I smiled, thinking about Ike, my nightmare far away now as my nerves took over. By the time I finished my shower, it was about eight forty-six and I still had a while before Ike was coming over.

I walked over to my closet and had another mini freak out over what I was going to wear since I had no idea where he was taking me this time. I took out most of my clothes, throwing the ones I didn't want into a messy pile behind me, trying to find the best choice.

By ten fifty-four, I still had no clue on what to wear, and looking at my reject pile didn't really help. I groaned, taking a break and falling on to the clothe pile, exhausted when my phone buzzed.

**Ike: Stop freaking out over clothes. I'd still think you were beautiful if you wore a gorilla suit.**

I stared at my phone in disbelief, How'd he know I was freaking out about what to wear? I stood up and walked briskly over to my window, peeking out to see if he was stalking me.

**Ike: Pst, I'm behind you**

I jumped, turning around to find nothing out of the ordinary as my phone buzzed again.

**Ike: Jk ;)**

I frowned, walking over to my closet, shrugging I took the first items of clothing I saw, He did say he's like me even if I wore a gorilla suit... Not that I had one anyways. Simple, simple, simple, I chanted, looking over at what I chose.

A white sweater dress that stopped a little after my butt, a pale lilac colored scarf, dark leggings and my thigh-high black boots. I styled my hair half up, half dow n and wore dangly snowflake earrings.

_Well, it's no _Gorilla suit_, but it'll do,_ I smiled, turning in the mirror. As I was reaching for my purse, strong arms came around my waist, lifting me up. I squealed as they spun me around a little bit before placing a kiss on my forehead.

"Ike," I gasped, still giggling in his arms, "How'd you get in?"

"Your door was unlocked. So nice of you to do that for me Princess" he winked at me, making my heart flutter a bit.

"Wait, I ne-" I started, but he cut me off with a quick kiss on the lips. Our lips barely touched, but I felt it. He smiled at me, taking my hand in his and leading me out to his car. I placed a gentle finger on my lips that still tingled from our "Kiss"

"So where are we going?" I asked, shaking it off... For now.

He smirked, looking at me quickly before turning back to look at the road. "Do we have to have this conversation again Princess?"

Just like yesterday, the rest of the drive was spent in our own little worlds. I was brought out of my little world when the car came to a stop. "You're taking me... Shopping?" I asked, looking at the huge mall complex.

He chuckled, "Holidays are coming soon, so I thought it'd be best to start shopping now" he took my hand and led me in before I could protest, not that it mattered, he could carry me in like I was nothing and I wouldn't stand a chance.

We walked around for a couple minutes, window shopping until we arrived at a toy store. I didn't quite understand why we were looking at toys for kids, but I had fun. Little kids were running around everywhere, some laughing, others crying, and many toys everywhere.

I stood looking at a couple of toy airplanes when I heard crying behind me. A little boy sat, hunched over in tears, a broken toy in front of him. He looked about six and a couple of older kids, they were eight or nine at most, were laughing at him.

I frowned when I saw that the little boy had some scratches on his palms, and knees, telling me he fell or was pushed. I walked over and knelt by him, "You Okay?" I asked gently, not wanting to scare him.

He nodded, avoiding my eyes and sniffled. I stared at him for a little while more before sighing, "Well, I'm Zelda. What's you're name?"

"Lucas" he said politely, staring at the ground.

"Nice to meet you Lucas. Where are your parents?"

"Watching over me somewhere" he relied, looking up smiling, like they were right there. My heart broke a little as I looked at the little kid before me. I helped him up, and found some bandaids in my purse.

I looked back to where the airplanes were and led him to it. Reaching up, I took one from the shelf and gave it to him. His eyes lit up and his smile was nothing I've seen before. It portrayed happiness, joy and hope. I smiled back at him as well, my heart warming as well.

"But.. I don't have money" he said, his smile dimming, and the spark in his eyes disappeared.

I nodded understandingly, "Thats why I'm buying it, consider it a gift" I smiled, taking his hand and waking to the cash register. We stood by the entryway and I knelt down to ruffle his blonde hair.

He surprised me when he ran at me, his little arms wrapping around my neck. "Thank you Zellie" he whispered, nuzzling into the crook of my neck.

"Your welcome Lucas" I embraced him back, and we stood like that for a minute before pulling back. I gave him a small kiss on the head, and he was off, running to a kid that looked about ten.

I watched as Lucas started talking and gesturing wildly with his little hands. "That was really nice of you Princess" Ike said from behind, pulling me back into him and we both stood there watching the two kids.

They finished talking a minute later, both staring in our direction, Lucas waving at me. I smiled, returning the gesture. The other boy nodded in thanks and the two were off, walking towards the exit hand in hand.

"C'mon, I think it's time to go home" Ike whispered, guiding me out of the store.

I nodded, as happy as I was, the evening event had worn me out and all I wanted to do was curl up in my bed and sleep.

I must have dozed off in the car because the next thing I knew was that Ike was caring me into my room. "Sleep tight Princess" he whispered into my hair, kissing my head as he tucked me into bed, melting my heart with the sweet act.

The last thought I had before drifting asleep was the realization that I was falling and fast.

I was falling for Ike... Again, only this time, I wasn't going to run and hide.

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><p><strong>Eee! One of my favorite chapters here. Hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am :D Thank you Purple Mercenary for your support! More cute moments are about to come :) Until next time!<strong>


	5. Day Four: The Play

**Happy Christmas Eve! Sadly, I'm about done with the story already, just a couple more chapters to go, and this one is probably one of the longer one, since it'll have two days instead of one. Hope you like the story! Here comes chapter five :)**

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><p>"Rise and shine Princess" a deep voice whispered in my ear, shattering my dream. I shut my eyes and rolled over, trying to sleep some more. The voice chuckled, "Guess I have no choice"<p>

_No choice?_ I wondered half asleep, _What is that supposed to mean?_ The next thing I knew I was out of bed and in someone's arms, with them walking calmly into the bathroom and with me trying to get out of their embrace.

"Ike!" I giggled, squirming in his arms, "Let me go!"

He stopped walking, pretending to think about the question, "Never again Princess" he said, kissing my cheek and letting me down in the bathroom.

My eyes widened as I took in my appearance. I had a major case of bed head, I was still wearing the same outfit from yesterday, only today it was all wrinkled and messed up. I gave a small scream, shoving Ike out the door and locking it, frantically trying to fix my hair.

I heard Ike chuckle from the other side of the door. I frowned, _Asshole_, I thought, finally taming my mess of hair.

"By the way, I thought your bed head was adorable" he whispered as I passed him a couple minutes later. I blushed, not knowing what to say, so I gave him a small kiss on the cheek before walking to the kitchen. As I neared the kitchen, the delicious smell of eggs, bacon and waffles filled the air. I turned to Ike suspiciously, when a thought entered my mind, "Ike..."

"Yes..?"

"How _did_ you get in here again?" he just smiled innocently at me, walking past me to sit down at the kitchen table. "Ike..." I said sweetly, making my way over to him, "How did you get in?" I asked again, wrapping my arms around his neck from behind, running my hands through his hair.

He chuckled at my antics, pulling me down until I was straddling him, "Hmm, Peach gave me the spare to copy" he nuzzled my neck as I took the information in. When'd she do that? "Alright Princess hurry up, we have to get going soon" he said after we finished eating, I was a little surprised that he could cook, and so well too. I gave him a questioning look, "Just start packing some clothes, we're taking a little trip" he winked, sending me on my way.

I was still confused when I reached my room, _What does he have up his sleeve..._ I wondered, looking back at where he was sitting. As confused as I was, I also super excited for whatever he had planned. Not knowing where we were going I packed two T-Shirts, three bras/underwear, socks, a tank-top, and a new dress that I just got a week ago, and accessories.

"Ready to go?" Ike asked, showing up in my room and picking up my suitcase, we walked out to his car.

"As ready as I'll ever be" I muttered. I yawned tiredly, checking the clock I saw that it was only nine in the morning which meant that I was probably woken around seven or eight.

"You should take a nap, we have a bit to go" Ike said, seeing me yawn. I nodded in agreement, the bumps of the car and the air conditioning very soothing and soon fell asleep.

I woke up at the smell of coffee, blinking my eyes slowly, I glanced around. It was about six forty-nine in the afternoon, and Ike was no where to be seen. I slowly got up, noticing that Ike had draped a warm blanket over my body while I slept. Looking out the window, I saw that we were already at a hotel, not knowing what else to do, I was about to step out of the car when a note caught my eye.

_Morning Princess. If you're reading this, you're probably wondering where I am. I went to check in the hotel, I'll be back in a little while to get you. Don't leave the car, I also got you some coffee. Be back soon._

_-Ike_

The note read in Ike's rough handwriting. I smiled as I inhaled the sweet smell of vanilla. "Looks like you got my note" Ike said, startling me. "Come on, we've got a big day tomorrow" The rest of the day was spent with us cuddling on the bed, watching Mocking Jay Part One, I wasn't a person who liked seeing blood or violence, so I'd always bury my head in Ike's arm, not that he minded, he'd laugh at me and I would smack his arm, playfully scolding him.

I fell asleep sometime during the credits, snuggling into Ike. A smile on my face, and after today, I knew for sure that I was falling a little faster each day. I just hoped that he would be there to catch me.

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><p><em>Beep, beep, beep, I groaned, feeling pain in almost all of my body. I blinked rapidly, my eyes adjusting to the bright light as the beeping continues steadily, I carefully look around, since my head was hurting. The stale smell of disinfectant in the air, and I knew that I was at the hospital. But why?<em>

_"Oh good, your awake" a gentle voice said. Turning towards the voice, I saw a nurse come in with a clipboard. "How are you feeling?" she asked, checking my IV, and marking things on her clipboard. I mentally rolled my eyes,_ How was I feeling? Obviously bad enough to end up in the hospital._ Besides that, she didn't really wait for my answer because after she made sure everything was in place, she left to alert the doctor._

_I sighed, trying to lift my hand, only to find it in a cast. What happened to me? I wondered, staring intently at my arm. "Miss Zelda?" the doctor asked, stepping into the room and breaking my thoughts._

_"Yes?" I asked, anxious to know what happened to me. Where are my parents?_

_"How are you feeling?" he asked. I sighed, Why does everyone ask me that? I'm in the hospital for a reason. I didn't say anything though, not wanting to be rude._

_"Fine, my body hurts but I'm fine" I answered finally. The doctor nodded, scribbling on a couple of papers._

_"Do you remember anything?" he asked, finishing his writing. I thought for a moment, trying to find some memory of what might have landed me in the hospital. But nothing came up, so I slowly shook my head. The doctor sighed, rubbing his hand down his face, pain evident on his face. Now I was curious, and worried. "Zelda, you were just in a car accident" he said slowly, letting me process everything he just said._

_Car accident? My eyebrows furled as I sat there, deep in thought. Car... Accident... That's when everything came rushing back. I gasped, tears welling up in my eyes, we were in the car... Talking... Then the car started swerving, and I hit my head... The car flipped and my mother..._

_"What happened to my parents?" I asked frantically, silently pleading that my parents were Okay, but my gut told me the opposite and it was only confirmed when the doctors face fell, and he avoided my eyes. "No..." I whispered, my lips trembling and my body shaking. "No!" I cried, tears spilling down my face, "No.." I sobbed, hiding my face in my hands._

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><p>"Zelda! It's just a dream!" I heard someone cry, as I struggled in their embrace. "It's Okay... It's Okay" he whispered into my ear as I continued to cry. We sat there for a while, as I cried, the pain of the memory coming back. "You Okay?" he asked gently as I tried to calm down, hiccuping occasionally. I nodded slightly, then thought better of it and shook my head, tears coming down again. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, trying to soothe my cries, rubbing circles on my back and stroking my head.<p>

I took a deep breath before telling him about the incident four years ago... The incident that caused me to break it off with him all those years ago. He sat there listening, still rubbing circles around my back and stroking my head, as I retold everything that happened, not leaving anything out. I stopped every once in a while when it was too much, Ike didn't press me to continue, only whispered calming things in my ear.

After my story we both sat in relative silence. I felt a lot better than I did in a while, it felt nice to get it off my chest, and it felt like a weight was being lifted from my shoulders. I leaned in to him, listening the calming beat of his heart. "Thank you for sharing with me. It means a lot Princess" Ike whispered just as I was dozing off. I smiled when he placed a soft kiss on my head, drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

A couple hours later, I woke up to an empty bed. Where'd he go? I got up and went to use the bathroom, knowing that he was Okay and he'd probably be back later. And like I thought, he was laying down on the bed, watching TV when I came out. On the desk next to the bed was a plate of bacon, eggs, and sausages, also a blue berry muffin.

I smiled, I loved how sweet he could be sometimes. I thanked him with a kiss on the cheek, catching him by surprise. We watched _Tom and Jerry_ as I ate, feeding Ike pieces of my food from time to time. "Hm, ready to go?"

I nodded, swallowing the last piece of food, "Where are we going?"

"Just dress in something warm" he winked, leaving the room, taking the plates with him. I huffed, Something warm... I chose my warmest sweater that I brought and paired it with my knee-length stockings with my thigh-high boots. A light jacket under my winter coat. Just as I was zipping up my coat, the door opened again and Ike walked in. He nodded at my choice of attire, and we walked out together. I stopped at the elevator door after getting off to fix my boots, when I heard a throat clear.

Glancing up, I saw Ike looking down at me, smiling mischievously.

"What is it?" I asked, looking around, slowly getting up.

He just chuckled, his eyes lighting up, "Wow Princess, you're pretty clever" he said, staring up at the ceiling. Curiously, I look up and gasp. Right above us was a mistletoe.

"Wha-" I was cut off when Ike's warm lips met mine. I froze momentarily before shyly kissing him back. We stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, we broke apart some time later and we both had a stupid smile on our faces.

"We're going ice skating?" I asked when we reached our destination. He saw the disbelief written on my face and nodded, simply paying for our rental skates. "But I don't know how to skate..." he paused for a moment, before continuing to put the skates on me.

"Don't worry, all you have to do is hold on tight" he winked, securing the lace on my skates, he held out his hand as he stood, looking at me expectantly. I sighed, giving up, there was no need to argue with him anyway.

"I swear if I break my butt, it'll be your fault" I stuck my tongue out at him, taking his hand with one of mine and holding onto the edge of the rink with the other. I took a tentative step onto the ice, squealing as I almost slipped. I blew a strand that came out of my pony tail out of my face, looking at Ike enviously as he effortlessly glided around me.

He chuckled when he saw my glare, coming closer to me. "Do you trust me?" he asked, extending his hand out towards me. I pretended to think for a moment, staring at his hand and laughed when he growled. "Zelda..."

"Relax, of course I do" I grabbed his hand, and let go of the rink, almost immediately slipping.

"Don't worry, I've got you" Ike caught my arm and pulled me towards him, slowly skating backwards while keeping both of my hands in his. I tried to keep up with his slow pace, falling forward whenever he turned, but he caught me every time. Eventually I could skate around on my own, albeit, I was really slow and would occasionally slip, I managed on my own fairly well for all I care.

Ike stayed by my side most of the time, teasing me when we saw a group of kids speeding past me with ease. I glared at him, shoving him to the ground and gliding away laughing. A couple seconds later, he caught up to me, lifting me up and taking me for a spin. I was still giggling by the time he set me down, he checked his watch before turning to me. "Looks like it's time to go. Race you"

I narrowed my eyes challengingly, "You're on" I smirked, pulling his hat over his eyes and skating away as fast as I could, which wasn't really fast, but I had the advantage. I glanced back to see him start skating towards me, my eyes widened as he came charging at me as fast as_he_ could. Shit, I thought, speeding up a little, but it was all lost when he came up behind me, almost tackling me down.

"That wasn't very nice Princess" he scolded with me still in his arms. I squirmed trying to wiggle my way out, only making his grip tighten around me. "Now be a good girl and be quiet" he gave me a quick kiss on the lips to silence me. "Good girl" he laughed, giving my head a little pat, kissing the tip of my nose when I glared at him, making me wrinkle my nose at him.

"Get dressed, I'll be back in ten" he told me once we arrived back at the hotel, hitting my butt as he pushed me into the room. I jumped from the contact, staring at him with wide eyes. "Ten minutes" he mouthed, backing out of the room. I walked over to my suitcase and pulled out my new dress. The main part of the dress was red, but the secondary color was white with a Queen Anne neckline, and the dress came down to my knees. I styled my hair into a bun, leaving some strands out, letting them frame my face, I matched the dress with ruby drop earrings and my golden necklace with the Goron's Ruby.

Ike was sitting on the bed when I came out. I smiled at the sight of him in a tuxedo. "You look amazing Zelda" Ike said, standing up and putting his arm around me, "Maybe too amazing..." he looked around playfully as I laughed.

"Shut up, you don't look too bad yourself" I commented, as we walked out the door, his hand on the small of my back almost possessively. "So what's the plan for tonight?"

"Well, we're going to see a play before dinner" he stated simply, _Yes! Finally got an answer from him,_ I thought happily.

"We're watching the Christmas Carol?" I gasped, reading the sign as we got out of the car. "That's one of my favorite..."

"I know" Ike showed them our tickets and we were shown to our seats, in the middle of the theater. We whispered occasionally during the play, laughing at the costumes, and talking about whatever. I was so busy talking with Ike that I didn't notice that the play was over until the lights came on, from the look on Ike's face, I don't think he noticed either.

The restaurant he was taking me to wasn't that far from the theater, so we decided to walk. Ike pulled me closer to him when he noticed that I was freezing. I snuggled in to him, relishing in the warmth as we walked. The restaurant Ike took me to was really nice, it was full of pretty decorations that glowed in the dim light. Everyone in there were all lost in their own world.

The table we got was in a secluded part of the restaurant, right under the moonlight that was seeping through the window, adding to the already romantic atmosphere. A waiter came by and handed me a single rose, I turned to look at Ike suspiciously but he just smiled at me. Before I could ask him about it, music filled the room, and the lights all shut off, except for a couple of them, forming a little circle around our table.

"Ike...?" I asked uncertainly as everyone's attention turned to us. The door to the kitchen opened and the chef came out wheeling a little cart over to us, I looked at it warily when he stopped it in front of me. Ike nodded over to the cart, telling me to open it. Still a little unsure, I slowly opened the little dome container to reveal a gorgeous looking cake.

Written in neat, cursive letters were the words 'Happy Birthday Princess' I gasped a little, I had totally forgotten that it was my birthday, covering my mouth with one hand, I looked over at Ike who was staring at me intently.

"Make a wish Princess" he whispered, still staring at me. I smiled tearfully, no one's ever done something as sweet as this, and closed my eyes. I already knew what I wanted and he was sitting right in front of me.

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><p><strong>This marks another chapter! I'm really hoping to finish this tomorrow, but that probably won't happen, so maybe the day after tomorrow. I hope you guys liked this chapter, Happy Holidays :)<strong>


	6. Day Five: Shopping, Part Two

**Hey everyone! Merry Christmas (A couple days later but it's Okay :) I originally wanted to have this story done on Christmas, but that probably won't happen. I've gotta go help my Mom, and I've gotta go visit my Cousins in Canada for a little bit, so it'll probably be done sometime soon. I hope... Anyways, here's chapter six! Enjoy!**

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><p><em>What to do.. What to do...<em> I lie in bed thinking. My twentieth birthday was two days ago, December nineteen, there's three days until Christmas, which also means there's three days until Ike's birthday. I glanced over at the sleeping man next to me and I sighed thinking back to what he did for my birthday.

The night of my birthday, after falling asleep around six in the morning, I woke up about an hour an hour ago at seven in the morning with a sick feeling and puked out the contents in my stomach, guess I shouldn't have eaten that much cake. Ike woke up to find me on the bathroom floor, and asked me if something was wrong. After forty five minutes with him fussing all over me, I finally told him I was Okay and that he didn't have to worry about me.

Of course after telling him that, I threw up again, he held my hair back and rubbed calm circles around my back, then picked me up and told me I wasn't aloud out of the bed until we left the next day.

For the rest of the day, I didn't get out of the bed unless I had to go to the bathroom, Ike was always there with me until I finally shooed him out, not wanting him to see me like that.

As I was thinking back to that day, something struck me as strange, I usually had more tolerance for sweets... I also didn't get sick very often and for the past three days, my birthday included, I've been puking every morning.

"Oh Shit" I swore under my breath, sitting up quickly, finally understanding. I made a mental note to check, but if my hunch is correct, I know exactly what to get him. I smiled excitedly when two arms wrapped around my waist, bringing me down to the man I love.

_Man I love huh_... My smile widened as I gazed into his eyes, I realized that it was true. "Hmm, best way to wake up" he smiled lazily, his eyes half closed.

"Hmm, I've had better" I tweaked his nose lightly, giggling and trying to squirm out of his embrace as it tightened.

"We'll have to fix that..." he whispered mischievously, tickling my side slightly, "But that'll have to wait until later" after his tickling attack, he pulled me into him, his head resting on my head as I snuggled closer to his chest.

"What are we doing today" I asked, pulling back enough to see his face.

"Anything you want Princess" Ike looked at me curiously, "Why do you ask?"

I blinked up at him, trying to think of a reason, but came up empty, "Just wondering"

Ike chuckled at my response, "You are a terrible liar, but you look adorable" he placed a chaste kiss to my forehead, "How about we go to the mall?"

Perfect! I mentally cheered, I'll be able to go shopping for a present! "Okay" I responded placing a kiss on his chest and hopping out of bed and running to the bathroom to get ready.

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><p><strong>Ike<strong>

"Where to first?" I asked, looking at Zelda. Something's different about her, I can't put my finger on what exactly but she's changed. She's smiling a lot more, practically glowing and she's all excited for something.

Not that this is a bad thing, I love it when she's happy but I can't help but wonder what exactly is making her this happy. I thought back to this morning, she was awake early, and I suspect she might have been throwing up again, but I didn't say anything, knowing she'd tell me to stop worrying.

She also rushed out of bed this morning and was out of the bathroom before I was out of bed. After watching her struggle to get me out of bed for about fifteen minutes, I finally took pity on the poor girl and got up myself.

A short breakfast later and a twenty minute drive and we were at the mall parking lot.

"Um, I was wondering if we could meet up later, I have some things to do" now I know she's got something up her sleeve, but I don't push, she'll tell me when she's ready... Besides, I have something planned for her as well.

"Alright, meet by the fountain in an hour and a half?" she nodded, giving me a hug and a kiss on the cheek before skipping off. I watched her until the crowd swallowed her up.

I took out my phone and walked into a little Cafe nearby. I walked in and ordered myself a small black coffee, holding the coffee in one hand, I sat in a booth a little in the back and dialed.

"Hey Sheik," I said, once he picked up, taking a sip of my coffee before continuing, "You here yet?"

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><p>About an hour and a half later, I was still freaking out when I finally left to meet up with Ike. Omg.. I thought, over and over again while I walked to the fountain. As I came closer, I saw that there was a large crowd on the other side, there were a lot of kids and parents lined up for some reason.<p>

"They're all over there for the toy donations" a voice behind me said, startling me.

"Don't do that" I pouted, trying to push Ike over while he laughed.

"Sorry" he didn't sound very sorry at all. I stuck my tongue out at him childishly to let him know I wasn't actually mad at him.

"So what's the toy donation thingy all about anyway?" I asked, looking at the huge crowd.

"It's for kids who can't afford anything, they come here to meet 'Santa' and he hands the kids gifts, it might not be exactly what they want, but they don't really care" Ike explained, pulling me into an embrace as we watched kids sit on Santa's lap and receive presents.

Watching the others I thought about Lucas and how his face lit up when I gave him a toy. The same joy was written on every kids face that went up, looking around I saw that there were a few toy stores around us. I glanced back and noticed that there were a lot more kids then there were toys, I looked up at Ike and saw that he noticed too. Nodding his head at me, we both quickly went in to the stores and bought about twenty- thirty gifts each.

We made it just as Santa's elf was about to close the line. I watched as the joy in their eyes dimmed, making me sad as well. "Wait!" I shouted before I could stop myself, I stood there nervously as all eyes turned to me. Embarrassed, I held out the bags full of gifts out toward the elf. His eyes widened as he took them from me and the kids cheered.

"You did well Princess" Ike chuckled, guiding me out of the crowd as multiple kids stopped us with hugs and thank you's.

"You did too" I laughed when a little girl came up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Ike shook his head, but he was smiling. "You really are something"

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"I saw how much you cared while we were helping out. Your eyes shined just as much as the kids who received the gifts" I smiled up at him, thinking back. _He's right_, I glanced at him as we walked to our car, _I care a lot more than I use to and it's all because of him. And I couldn't have loved him more for it._

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><p><strong>Finally finished this chapter! I planned to post this a couple days ago but I just came back from Canada at 3 AM. This is the last day too and I still have one more chapter to write. Wish me luck! Hope you guys are liking the story. Thank you Purple Mercenary for always reading :)<strong>


	7. Last Day

**Well this is the end! Thanks for reading, hope you liked the story. Happy New Year's Eve :) Now to the story.**

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><p><strong>Christmas Day<strong>

"Rise and shine, sunshine" a voice cooed in my ear. It was a familiar voice, but I couldn't place it anywhere in my half-asleep state. I groaned as light suddenly flashed in front of my eyes, I rolled over and buried my face in my pillow to get away from the light. The voice sighed, "Now Zellie, is this anyway to greet your bestie?"

"Peach?" I asked, lifting my head to see that it _was_ Peach. She was dressed in a really pretty Emerald colored dress, with matching gold jewelry and a silver headband and belt.

"The one and only!" she struck an over dramatic pose. "Now, off of that lazy butt and come give me a hug" I rolled my eyes playfully, taking extra time to get up and walk over to her. She impatiently waited until I was close enough for her to pull me into her killer embrace. I returned her hug just as fiercely, I didn't realize that I missed her so much until now.

"I thought you were coming back in a couple more days?" I asked once we released each other.

"Oh, I just decided to come back a little early. I missed you" Peach pulled me into another hug, but not before I saw her eyes flash nervously, telling me she's hiding something and that she only hugged me to hide it from me.

"I missed you too" I tried to keep the suspicion out of my voice as I hugged her back. What is she hiding? I narrowed my eyes at her, watching her fidget around the room.

"Here, change into this" she handed me a simple, yet unique white and gold dress and some simple gold bangles. I held the dress out in front of me and looked at her as if she was crazy, the neckline dipped and showed a little more than I'd like, but the back was what I was looking at. It had an interesting design in the back, exposing quite a bit of my back, stopping just an inch or two above my butt.

She shrugged her shoulders innocently and pushed me into the bathroom. "Don't even think about coming out until you're done changing!" she shouted from the other side of the door.

"You're insane! Why the Hell am I wearing this anyways?" I snapped, feeling crabby. I sighed and grudgingly started to get dressed when there was no reply. I stared at my reflection, almost not recognizing myself, it was a really pretty dress...

I went over to the handle and tried to open the door, only to find out that it was stuck. "Peach? What the Hell?" I tried the handle again, but it wouldn't budge. I heard Peah's giggle as I struggled with the door. I scowled, making a mental note to shave her bald in the middle of the night for this.

"Take a picture" she called. I stared at the door in disbelief, I could hear the smile in her voice.

"You've gotta be kidding me" I groaned, resting my forehead on the door.

"Nope" she popped the 'P' in Nope, "Take a picture and send it to me" I sighed, it was useless to argue with her weird demands, the sooner I finish, the sooner I can get answers.

"Fine," I grumbled just as she told me to smile, rolling my eyes, I plastered the best smile I could muster and sent her the picture. Now what? I wondered, waiting. A few seconds later, my phone buzzed.

Ike: My new favorite dress on you

My mind blanked as I stared at the screen... "Peach!" when there was no reply, I headed for the door, this time it was open. "Peach?" I glanced around the room and found that it was empty.

Something colorful caught my eye, looking down I saw that there was a trial of petals that weren't there before. Curious to see where this leads, I carefully follow the trail into the kitchen.

There on the table was a note, on the front was my name written in Peach's neat bubble handwriting.

_Dear Zellie,_

_If you're reading this, it means that you've followed the petal trial to this spot. You've probably noticed that I've left too and knowing you, you've probably vowed to shave my beautiful head, well not today sister! I'm sleeping with one eye open tonight! Anyways, in the car, you'll find another card, follow the instructions and I'll see you soon!_

_-Love Peach_

I laughed, loving how Peach knew me so well. After a light breakfast, I stepped out into the winter air. I smiled as I made my way to my car, taking in the view. Ike really changed how I saw things, I used to hate everything about winter since it was linked to such a horrible memory, but now I love it.

_I've waited four years for you and I'll wait four more. Come to the place that you first stole my heart._

I read and re-read the words written on the small red card that was neatly sitting on my seat. Along with it was a single rose. I smiled at his words, Who knew Ike was so good with words? I smirked, driving to the park, the one that holds so much history between us.

Getting out of the car, I look around, wondering what exactly I'm in the park for.

"Zelda!" a voice called out. My eyes widened in shock as I turned to the voice.

"Sheik?" my brother was standing under a huge tree, waving me over. "What's going on?" I asked, running over to him.

He shook his head, telling me absolutely nothing, "Nothing bad Sis, relax" he pulled me into a hug, trying to soothe my worries. "I've been instructed to give you this" in his hand was another red card, "Oh and this" this time, he handed me a little stuffed bear that held a stuffed heart with the words 'I Love You' across it.

"Oh Sheik... You too?" I asked, accepting the gifts.

He smiled at me, "Just want to see my little Sis happy, he's a good guy" he nodded, and with one last hug, he left me alone. I watched him run off for a little while longer, my heart warming, knowing that Sheik approved of Ike.

That night you ran, and left me. Told me you were visiting and would be back, turns out that the promise was never kept. This is the last place we meet.

I sighed, gently tucking the card in my pocket. I remember that day clearly, I had promised I'd be back. I arrived at the secluded lake that we always went to, it became _our_ place, one that almost no one went to.

Being back here brought a lot of memories back, good and bad. There were laterns strung above my head, almost like a path. I looked up, my eyes immediately drawn to the frozen lake, I walked over mesmerized, watching the last of the sunset, the little bit of light dancing on the frozen surface.

That's when I noticed figures standing to the side, watching me. I turned to them and gasped, I was so distracted I didn't notice that the lake had been transformed. The old gazebo was now bathed in light, lanterns decorating the sides.

There were also lights on the ground and petals. The lights were at the side, lighting the way while the petals made a trial all the way over to the gazebo where one person stood watching, waiting.

As I followed the petal path, my eyes met with the figures, he smiled at me and I smiled back. Ike, I thought.

Ike took a couple steps towards me, meeting me there. I looked around to see that Peach and my brother were watching. Peach had a watery smile and my brother looked happy for me. I smiled back at the both of them and Peach started crying again.

"Zelda" Ike said, taking my hands in his, staring deep into my eyes, making me feel as if it were just us here. "I never thought I'd meet the best thing in the world when I bumped into you. You were so innocent and optimistic and I wasn't" we chuckled, remembering the day that started it all.

"You changed my life then and you continue to do that now. I knew I loved you when you left, I was never the same, and then I bumped into you again a few weeks ago and suddenly it was Okay." he paused, brushing away tears that I didn't even know we're running down my cheek.

I looked at him with wide eyes as he got down on his knee, pulling out a little box, "I know we're a little young and we don't have to get married yet, but I want you to keep this ring until your ready."

I stood there, speechless. "Well Princess?" he asked when I didn't make a move to take the box. I shook my head slowly, and watched his face turn into confusion and sadness. He started to put the box back when I crouched down in front of him.

He stared at me for a second, wondering what I was doing as I took the box out of his hand. I opened it to see an elegant right, gleaming in the light, I smiled up at him through my tears, "I'm ready now" I whispered, slipping the ring on my finger.

His face broke out into the most beautiful smile ever and he took me into his arms. He placed a kiss on my lips before I pulled back. "I have something else for you Birthday boy" I stepped out of his embrace only to be pulled back in.

"You've already given me the best present I could ask for" he said. I smirked, _Not yet I haven't_ I thought, wiggling out of his embrace. I walked over to my car and brought back a box. He stared at it questionably, but I simply gestured for him to open it.

I watched as his eyes grew wide as he carefully took out a little baby shirt with the words 'I have the Best Dad in the world' written across it. "No way..." he looked at me as I nodded laughing.

"Happy Birthday Ike" I placed a kiss on his lips as he pulled me closer.

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><p><em><strong>The True Meaning of Christmas<strong>_

_I was once asked, "What is the true meaning of Christmas?", at the time I really couldn't have cared less about Christmas. You see my parents died in an accident somewhere around Christmas and I've hated Winter ever since._

_It wasn't just Winter either, after that accident, I was never the same. I put on a whole facad, making others believe that I was Okay, when I really wasn't. I was just walking around, going through the motions. I was just existing._

_And I was content, that was until he came in. He came in and saved me, showed me everything I missed while I was existing, he showed me how to live again and for that I love him for. His name is Ike, Ike Greil and he is my Christmas Miracle._

_He showed me quite a bit this year, he's shown me that it's better to give then receive, he took me to the mall twice and I got to experience the joy of giving. I gave a lot of toys away that year and now I want to do it every year, just to bring a little joy to a little kid._

_I've learned a lot more from him and I will learn a lot more. There are a lot of meanings to Christmas, but it's best to share that with someone else. It's always nice to have your family together during the seasons._

_I may not have my parents, but I have my brother, my best friend and my Fiancé, as well as a baby on the way and their love is all I need. It's not about the gifts, it's about the people you share them with._

_Happy Holidays._


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